Static neutralizers



Dec- 22, 1964 F. E. HANscoM ETAL STATIC NEUTRALIZERS Filed Deo. so. 1959 ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,162,787 STATIC NEUTRALIZERS Frank E. Hanscom, 21 Simmons Road, South Portland, Maine, and `George E. Harrington, 156 Prospect St., Portland,k Maine Filed Dec. 30, 1959, Ser. No. 862,941 9 Claims. (Cl. 317-2) The present invention relates to devices for neutralizing static electric charges particularly where visibility of the zone in which the charges are to be neutralized must be maintained.

In the use of teletypewriters, by way of example, the sheets commonly become objectionably charged with static electricity and neutralization of the charged sheets can be eiected in a zone where visibility of the sheets is required. The principal objective of the present invenvtion is to provide etiicient neutralizers that may be attached to teletypewriters or other equipment where neutralization is to be effected in zones where the neutralizers must be in the form of window bars.

In accordance with the invention, this general objective is attained by providing a neutralizer comprising a bar of materialthat is a non-conductor of electricity and transparent. The bar is provided with at least one member for use in attaching it to the apparatus whose use results in the development of the charges to be neutralized and such attaching member or members are of electrically conductive stock. The front edge of the holder is to be disposed in the zone where static charges are to be neutralized and in induction sleeved, insulated conductor is secured to the rear part of the bar which has a series of passages that eiect communication between the conductor and said front edge. Discharge elements are provided, one for each passage, and each has its rear end in contact with a sleeved portion of the conductor and its ionizing point exposed at the front edge of the bar where the passages are counterbored. The bar has a groove extending along each side adjacent the front edge for ground wire that is grounded through the attaching member or members. y

Other objectives of the invention are directed to the bar which is preferably formed by interconnecting two sections of transparent stoel; to enable the discharge element passages to be formed by grooving one face of one section and then assembling the bar with the other section clamped against the grocved face to establish suitably dirnensioned passages for the discharge elements which are formed of wire stock which is so tine that drilling holes to receive them is not practical.

In practice, each bar is provided with a channel extending along its rear edge through one end thereof and `closed along the rear edge by a filler to establish a chamber vfor the sleeved, insulated conductor. The chamber is open at one end so that it is necessary to anchor the conductor against end-wise movement therein. In accordance with the invention, this result is effected by providing each channel with a socket and connecting each conductor to its cable within a channel to provide a socket entering anchor.

In the accompanying drawings, there is shown an illustrative embodiment of the invention from which these and other of its objectives, novel features, and advantages will be readily apparent.

In the drawings:

FIG.K1 is a partly sectioned plan view-of a static neutralizer `in accordance with the invention,

FIG. 2 is an end view thereof,

FIG. 3 is a partly sectioned view of the front edge Vof the neutralizer, `and FIG. 4 is a section taken approximately along the kindicated lines y4--s4 of fFIG. 1.

3,162,787 Patented Dec. 22, 1964 In the embodiment of the invention illustrated by the drawings, a bar, generally indicated at 10, is formed by interconnecting a pair of rectangular sections 11 and 12 in face-tosface contact. The sections 411 and 12 are of transparent stock, acrylic resin for example, and they are locked together by an intermediate pair of screws 13 and end pairs of screws 14. The latter screws 'pass through adjusting slots 15 in mounting tabs l116 to secure them against one face of the bar 10 adjacent the ends thereof. The tabs I6 enable the bar 10 to be attached in desired position to a teletypewriter.

rl`he front edge 17 of the bar 10 is to be disposed towards the zone where neutralization of static charges is to be effected and its opposite or rear yedge 18 has an open channel 19 opening through one end of the bar 10 and closed along the rear edge 18 by the filler strip 20, which may also be of acrylic resin and which is anchored in place by screws 21. In practice, the ller strip 20 includes a block 2t)a closing the channel at one end of th'e bar. A series of passages 22 effect communication between the channel 19 and the front edge 17 and their front ends are counterbored as at 23.

Discharge elements 24 are provided, one for each passage 22. These are formed of tine resilient wire stock and include coiled ends 25 and are so dimensioned that, with the coiled ends seated against the bottom of the channel 19, their free ends or ionizing points 26 are approximately tinshwith the front edge 17. It is primarily because the elements are formed of such iine Wire that the drilling of suitably small passages is not practicable that the bar 10 :is formed by joining the sections 11 and 12 together. The tace of the section 11 that is to engage a face of the sections 12 may be readily formed with fine grooves which become the passages 22 when the sections are interconnected. In practice, each section has, prior to assembly, a shoulder formed along its rear ledge so that, on assembly, the channel 19 is established.

The channel 19 and the attached filler strip 20 define a chamber within which there is a capacitor unit, generally indicated at 27, and comprising a conductor 28 within an insulating sheath 29 on which there are a series of induction sleeves 30, one for each discharge element 24 and resiliently engaged by the coiled end 25 thereof. The end of a cable 31 is also entrant of the open end of the chamber and its conductor 32 and the conductor 28 are soldered together within a sleeve 33 which is disposed as an anchor within a socket 34 formed in the channel 19 thereby to provide means positively preventing endwise movement of the unit 27 Arelative to the bar 10.

At each end of the bar 10, there is a bore 35 extending transversely therethrough `preferably covered by the yappropriate tab 16 and loca-ted adjacent the front bar Aedge 17. The bores 35 are interconnected by a groove 36 extending lengthwise of the outer surface of each section. A ground wire 37 has its ends anchored to a ground screw 38 threaded transversely through both bar sections and engaging `one of the tabs 16. The ground wire 37 extends through yone bore .35 along .the :groove 36 in Vone face of vthe bar, through the ,other bore `35 and back along the groove 36 in the other exposed 'face of 4the bar and the grooves are of insuicient depth to i-ntersect the passages thereby leaving an intervening insulating web between the discharge points and the ground w1re.

It will be appreciated from the foregoing, that a static neutralizer is provided that is well adapted to function as a window Where needed and to meet requirements both of production and use. In practice, the bar sections in the yzone .of .the channel 19 and the ller strip are painted as at 39 to :effect a ytrim along the rear edge of the bar.

alegre? We claim:

l. In a device for neutralizing static charges, a bar of material that is a non-conductor of electricity and which includes at least one attaching member of electrically-conductive vstock and a front edge to be disposed in the area in which charges are to be neutralized, an insulated conductor secured to said bar, said bar having a series of passages effecting communicationbetweii said conductor and said edge, said passages flaring at said edge, a discharge element extending through each passage, said conductor including induction sleeve means with which each element is in contact, said bar having a groove in one face extending lengthwise thereof in parallel with said front edge and in a zone overlying said flaring passage ends but insulated from said discharge elements b/ theA bar material between the bottom of said gr'ove an said flaring ends, and 'al ground wire carried by said bar in said groove and connected to said at'- taching member.

2. In a device for neutralizing static charges, a flat wide bar of transparent material that is a non-conductor of electricity and which includes at least one attaching member of electrically conductive stock and a front edge to be disposed in the area in which charges are to be neutralized, an insulated conductor secured to the rear edge of said bar, said bar having a series of passages elfecting communication between said conductor and the said edge, said passages flaring at said front edge, a discharge element extending through each passage, said conductor including induction sleeve means with which each element is in contact, said bar having a groove in one face extending lengthwise thereof in parallel with said front edge and in a zone overlying said flaring passage ends but insulated from said discharge elements by the bar material between the bottom of said groove and said flaring ends, and a ground wire carried by said b ar in said groove and connected tovsaid attaehing mmber`. Y

3. In a device for neutralizing static charges, a bar of transparent material that is a non-conductor of electricity and which includes at least one attaching member of electrically conductive stock and a front edge to be disposed in the area in which charges are to be neutralized, said bar comprising a pair of sections interconnected face-to-face, an insulated conductor secured to said bar, one bar section having grooves closed by the other section to establish a series of passages effecting communication between said conductor and said edge, said passages flaring at said edge, a discharge element extending through each passage, said conductor including induction sleeve means with which each element is in contact, said bar sections each having a groove extending lengthwise of its outer face approximately in parallel with said edge, and a ground wire in each passage and connected to said attaching member. y

4. In a device for neutralizing static charges, a bar of transparent material that is a non-conductor of electricity and which includes at least one attaching member of electrically conductive stock and a front edge to be disposed in the area in which charges are to be neutralized, said bar comprising a pair of sections interconnected face-to-face, an insulated conductor secured to fsaid bar between said sections, one bar section having point receiving grooves closed by the other section to establish a series of passages eiecting communication between said conductor and said edge, said passages -iaring at said edge, adischarge element extending 'through each passage, said conductor including inducltion sleeve means with which each element is in contact, said bar sections each having a groove extending lengthwise of its outer face approximately in parallel with said edge and a ground wire in each groove and connected to said attaching member.

5. Ln ,a device for neutralizing static charges, a bar of maf'sll 1h?? .is .il E911-@minder of electricity and which includes at least one attaching member of electrically conductive stock and a front edge to be disposed in the area in which charges are to be neutralized, said bar having a series of passages eifecting communication with said edge, said passages ilaring at said edge, a discharge element extending through each passage, an insulated conductor carried by said bar and including induction sleeve means With which each element is in Contact, said bar having a groove extending approximately in parallel with said edge along one surface, and a ground wire in said groove and connected to said attaching member.

6. In a device for neutralizing static charges, a bar of transparent material that is a non-conductor of electricity and which includes at least one attaching member of electrically conductive stock and a front edge to be disposed in the area in which charges are to be neutralized, said bar having a channel extending from one end approximately to the other end thereof in parallel with said edge and having a series of passages affecting communication between said channel and said edge, said passages yharing at said edge, a o discharge element extending through each passage, a ller strip closing the open end of said channel and establishing an elongated chamber, an insulated conductor in said chamber and including induction sleeve means with which each element is in contact, said holder having a groove extending approximately in parallel with said edge along one face, and a ground wire in said passage and connected to said attaching member.

7. In a device for neutralizing static charges, a bar of material that is a non-conductor of electricity and which includes at least one attaching member of electrically conductive stock, a front edge to be disposed in the area in which charges are to be neutralized and a chamber in the rear part of said bar and opening through one end thereof, an insulated conductor within said chamber, said holder having a series of passages effecting cornrnunication between said chamber and said front edge, said passages flaring at said edge, a discharge element extending through each passage, said conductor including induction sleeve means with which each passage is in contact, said bar having a groove extending lengthwise of one face approximately in parallel with said edge, a ground wire in said groove and connected to said attaching member, a cable, the conductor ofA said cable and the conductor of said insulated conductor being joined to dene an anchor, and said channel having a pocket receiving said anchor.

8. In a device for neutralizing static charges, a bar of transparent material that is a non-conductor of electricity and which includes at least one attaching member of electrically conductive stock and front edge to be disposed in the area in which charges are to be neutralized, said bar comprising a pair of interconnected sections, an insulated conductor secured to said bar, one holder section having point receiving grooves closed by the other section to establish a series of passages effecting communication between said conductor and said edge, said passages flaring at said edge, a discharge element extending through each passage, said conductor including induction sleeve means with which the element is in contact, said bar sections each having a groove extending lengthwise of their outer faces approximately in parallel with said edge, a transverse bore interconnecting said grooves adjacent each end of said bar and a ground Wire in each passage and extending through said bores and connected to said attaching member.

9. In a device for neutralizing static charges, a bar of transparent material that is a non-conductor of electricity and which includes at least one attaching member of electrically conductive stock and front edge to be disposed in the area in which charges are to be neutralized, said bar comprising a pair of interconnected sections, au insulated conductor secured to said bar, one holder section having point receiving grooves closed by the other "an l section to establish a series of passages effecting communication between said conductor and said edge, said passages llaring at said edge, a discharge element extending through each passage, said conductor including induction sleeve means with which the element is in con- 5 tact, said bar sections each having a groove extending lengthwise of their outer faces approximately in parallel 904,248 with said edge, a `transverse bore interconnecting said 1,900,543 grooves adjacent each end of said bar and a ground wire 2,087,915

in each passage and extending through said bores and 10 3,037,149

a screw extending transversely through said bar into contact with said member, said screw anchoring the ends of said Wire.

References Cited in the iile of this patent UNTTED STATES PATENTS Chapman Nov. 17, 1908 Cochrane Mar. 7, 1933 Kimball July 27, 1937 Herbert May 29, 1959 

9. IN A DEVICE FOR NEUTRALIZING STATIC CHARGES, A BAR OF TRANSPARENT MATERIAL THAT IS A NON-CONDUCTOR OF ELECTRICITY AND WHICH INCLUDES AT LEAST ONE ATTACHING MEMBER OF ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE STOCK AND FRONT EDGE TO BE DISPOSED IN THE AREA IN WHICH CHARGES ARE TO BE NEUTRALIZED, SAID BAR COMPRISING A PAIR OF INTERCONNECTED SECTIONS, AN INSULATED CONDUCTOR SECURED TO SAID BAR, ONE HOLDER SECTION HAVING POINT RECEIVING GROOVES CLOSED BY THE OTHER SECTION TO ESTABLISH A SERIES OF PASSAGES EFFECTING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SAID CONDUCTOR AND SAID EDGE, SAID PASSAGES FLARING AT SAID EDGE, A DISCHARGE ELEMENT EXTENDING THROUGH EACH PASSAGE, SAID CONDUCTOR INCLUDING INDUCTION SLEEVE MEANS WITH WHICH THE ELEMENT IS IN CONTACT, SAID BAR SECTIONS EACH HAVING A GROOVE EXTENDING LENGTHWISE OF THEIR OUTER FACES APPROXIMATELY IN PARALLEL WITH SAID EDGE, A TRANSVERSE BORE INTERCONNECTING SAID GROOVES ADJACENT EACH END OF SAID BAR AND A GROUND WIRE IN EACH PASSAGE AND EXTENDING THROUGH SAID BORES AND A SCREW EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY THROUGH SAID BAR INTO CONTACT WITH SAID MEMBER, SAID SCREW ANCHORING THE ENDS OF SAID WIRE. 